He is now making a serious effort to live a better lifestyle.
Randy Jackson has long been known as a key member of the American Idol judging panel for a staggering 12 seasons, joining renowned colleagues Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell at the judge’s table in 2004.
Randy is rarely in the limelight when it comes to his weight loss, despite his famous reputation. He understands from how tough it can be to identify the perfect weight loss method, having struggled with his size for decades.
Gastric bypass surgery was performed on Randy Jackson.
After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2002, the 6-time Emmy Award-winning producer and musician underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2003 and returned to the stage with a thinner body, losing more than 100 pounds.
According to Medline Plus, gastric bypass surgery aids weight loss by altering the way your stomach and small intestine process food. Your stomach and belly fat will be smaller after the procedure.
Some portions of your stomach and small intestine that absorb food will no longer be able to absorb the food you eat. As a result, your body will not acquire all of the calories it needs from the food you consume.
However, over time, he found himself regaining some weight. Randy stated in a 2020 interview with PEOPLE Magazine, “For a long time you see me on TV and people have noticed me in the past and I was struggling with my weight, then I finally got it off by using some pretty drastic measures.”
“You come in and they go ‘Yeah dawg, you’re telling me I’m terrible but you’re fat!’ And I would go, ‘I am. I have mirrors in my house. I know!’ So I think that finally, it was that and also I had an emergency room visit that I thought I was really sick and had a cold or something.”
In his book “Body With Soul,” the producer also discussed his diabetes, writing, “It’s a curse to be saddled with a disease that’s life threatening and that you can’t completely get rid of (though you can certainly manage it). But it’s a blessing to get that huge wake-up call.”
“I am not some trainer with a half-percentage of body fat; I am a real guy dealing with obesity,” he added. “I am the guy who knows what it’s like to be walking around with 100 extra pounds.”
Randy Jackson's Weight Loss Tricks
The main keys to Randy’s successful weight loss are:
- Underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2003
- Modify eating habits after weight loss surgery and diabetes diagnosis
- His diet consists of only one meal a day
- His exercise regimen includes running on a treadmill
- He began practicing yoga
- He makes healthier versions of low-fat sweet potato pie and salt-free Cajun spice bread
- Consumes frozen yogurt or a protein smoothie whenever he has sugar cravings
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Emotional eating was a problem for Randy Jackson.
The television personality had to modify his mindset towards eating after his weight loss surgery and diabetes diagnosis, in order to maintain his weight. On The Ellen Degeneres Show, Randy admitted to comedian Tiffany Haddish that he used to suffer from emotional eating.
“Years ago, when ‘Idol’ first started, I was like 358. I had to get it [weight] down man,” he said. “What I did is, I went through, I had gastric bypass. I started Unify Health Labs, my own vitamin line. I had a food divorce is what I usually say. I had to let it all go and start over.”
Randy recently told Today‘s presenters Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager that his health change is still ongoing, and he also provided some insight into how he regained control of his health.
“I started on this health regimen many years ago while I was on American Idol… Lost a ton of weight, started gaining it back,” he began. “Then, [I] went on my own journey to try and discover, ‘How do I keep it off? What do I do?'”
His response hasn’t always been simple, as he’s openly discussed the struggles and barriers he’s experienced since 2003. “It’s been a long time running, a long time coming,” he added.
What kind of diet and workout did Randy Jackson follow?
As reported by WebMD, the actor’s diet consists of only one meal a day and has discovered methods to include exercise into his regimen. Randy began practicing yoga in addition to running on a treadmill, which he deliberately places next to his bed so he can think about it when he wakes up.
“I love the stretching and how it makes my body feel better and looser,” he shared. “The journey has been long, but worth it. I am fortunate and happy to be on the path that I am on.”
His healthy eating habits have even extended to his children. “There are lots of fruits and vegetables in the house,” he added in a statement to the publication. “And we now have the corn without the bread.”
Furthermore, he has already figured out how to make healthier versions of childhood favorites like low-fat sweet potato pie and salt-free Cajun spice bread.
On the other hand, whenever he has a sugar craving, Randy just reaches for a frozen yogurt or a protein smoothie. “If you make a mistake, change it the next day,” he remarked. “Never say ‘I will never have another piece of chocolate,’ because it won’t happen, and as soon as you say never, there is a binge coming.”